The Old Continent is seriously endangered. There is an emergency state. A few summit meetings have been held recently to save ill Europe. I counted even three of them in October. First the ambassador of the Republic of Poland for the Holy See Janusz Kotański, in cooperation with other European ambassadors, organized a debate entitled: ‘European values today’, at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. It was a deep reflection on the state of Europe at the moment deciding about its future. Whereas in three Polish cities – in Częstochowa, in Łódź and in Warsaw – the ‘Europa Christi’ movement prepared a congress for a few days with participation of, among the others, cardinal Robert Sarah, during which it was noted that lost Europe is mainly experiencing a deep crisis of values, which results from departing from Church and delusion flushed with pride that the man can manage to do everything without God, and can even be as god. Rescue for Europe was also being searched for at a meeting in Vatican in the end of October during an international debate organized by the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) under the motto: ‘Rethinking over Europe anew. Christian contribution in the future of the European project’.

The Vatican debates in a new synod aula were held with participation of the Secretary of State for the Holy See cardinal Pietro Parolin, cardinal Reinhard Marx and the vice-president of the European Commission Frans Timmermans. There were talks behind the closed door about integration, a dialogue and creative power. Discussions in working groups were presided over by ambassadors of EU countries for the Holy See. Pope Francis met with politicians of the European Union and other participants of the debates. He told them that Europe is not a collection of numbers or institutions, but it consists of people. – Unfortunately, we often notice how many debates are based on discussions on numbers. There are no citizens, there are votes – said Francis. He reminded about the role of Christians who are as for the world as the soul is for the body. He noted defending the unborn, the necessity of faithfulness to heritage of Europe nations and respecting their identity. The Vatican conference was attended by a Polish delegation of 12 people, in which there were, among the others: archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, the metropolitan of Cracow, and euro-deputies Marek Jurek, Ryszard Legutko and jacek Saryusz-Wolski (we publish an interview with him in this issue).

We are still witnesses of a lot of absurd. Recently the European Parliament announced abortion as human right with the majority of 70 percent votes, and refusal to kill a baby in the womb of the mother as violence against women. It was widely publicized that in France a verdict was issued against the cross crowning the monument of St. John Paul II. There also demands on removing the EU flag from the French parliament, as somebody noticed that it was too religious as it contained Catholic symbolism. French politicians are irritated by 12 stars above the head of Blessed Mary the Virgin. There is appearing a clear temptation of building civilization without God – to the similarity of the Babel tower from the Bible. So, we must rethink over Europe anew. Cardinal Robert Sara, present at the International Congress of the ‘Europa Christi’ movement said that Europe had not only lost its faith in God, but also the value of its humankind. He also noted that among the nations of Europe only Poland is the only country which is normal, so it has got an important mission to fulfill, so that the Old Continent would regain its soul.